Want VS Need
by welcomerain
Summary: Bella Swan is a newbie in the town of Forks. She is befriended by Alice Cullen who leads her into the mysterious world of the Cullens. Pairings undecided.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the characters. I'm making no monetary profit from this.**

**~1~**

"Have you seen the chief's daughter yet?"

"Yeah; she's hot! Do you think she has a boyfriend?"

Alice sighed and walked quickly past the gossiping group of teenagers to her assigned table just as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class. She sat down smoothly at her usual spot and placed a purple notebook in front of her ready to take notes or, as she more than often ended up doing, doodle in boredom. It wasn't like Alice had anything to learn in any of her classes—she had graduated high school too many times to count.

Beside her, Mike Newton was already doodling— usually the boy at least _tried_ to pay attention in class. In bored curiosity, she glanced at his paper. One name, written elaborately in beautiful cursive she would not have thought Mike Newton of all people capable of forming, popped. _Isabella Swan_. Alice's eyes narrowed and she looked away in annoyance.

This was the down side of living in a small town, she supposed. That and the lack of elaborate shopping malls. When new people moved here, there was always an intense interest in them and it was all people talked about for some time until the fascination wore off. She recalled the first couple of days when they, the Cullens, had moved here, or more accurately moved _back_ here. There had been whispers, gossip, stares, and awkward attempts at trying to date them. Alice had disliked that last part the most: rejecting the flocks of guys and occasional girl. But eventually things had settled down and they had been left to their own devices, sort of.

Sighing softly as the teacher went on and on about the American Revolution, Alice's mind turned towards Jasper. While they had some classes together, they were also separated hours at a time. She knew that it was hard for Jasper to control his thirst (new as he was to the vegetarian diet) but luckily for the humans at this school, Rosalie and Emmett were with him, carefully monitoring his actions. Alice knew he wouldn't do anything, she trusted his ability to restrain himself, but she was still thankful the others were with him.

She knew Edward disapproved of Jasper coming to the school, knew that he considered it a risky game. But Alice believed that it was for the best; after all, with more human contact, Jasper was more likely to comprehend the consequences of his actions. Killing a high school student, for example, would have devastating effects on that student's family, friends and even the community. She wanted Jasper to understand that humans could also experience deep emotions such as loss and sadness and that their feelings were just as relevant as that of a vampire's. Being a vampire often times carried with it the false belief that they were superior; most vampires tended to forget that they had once been a weak, fragile human.

Of course, Alice herself did not remember her past— but perhaps that was why she was more naturally inclined to respect humans. She could not remember all the terrible things that had been done to her by other humans. Her past life was a mystery she could never truly solve. Had she ever had a boyfriend? Had she enjoyed lying down on the grass watching the clouds pass by? Had she been a fan of the arts? Had she had any favorite foods or drinks? Had she had many friends? What had been her ambitions, dreams, and aspirations? Those were things Alice would never know, despite how much she investigated.

Sometimes, when Alice's thoughts drifted to her surviving family, a sense of longing and desire to be human with them came over her. But she would look at Jasper and the rest of her adopted family and those desires would inevitably subside. They were her family now and they loved her for who she was, what she had done, and what she was capable of. It was a special type of love she doubted she could get from anywhere else. And Jasper… he loved her, understood her. She was lucky to have him.

Eventually the bell rang and the class was dismissed. Alice had only just closed her notebook when Mike Newton dashed out of the room, stuffing his 'notes' into his bag as he went for the door. Alice smirked, attributing his rather swift exit to Ms. Swan.

'_Ah the joys of being a horny teenage boy in the thralls of puppy love.'_ Still smirking, she went over to her locker where Jasper stood rigidly, waiting.

"What's so amusing?" He asked, eyeing her expression somewhat warily.

Her smirk grew. "The chief's daughter has quite a hold on young Mr. Newton."

Jasper grimaced. "He's not the only one. Lust and love have been quite popular emotions today."

Alice let out a small tinkling laugh. "At least it's not over us."

Jasper nodded, his grimace becoming more apparent as he recalled the reactions of the boys towards Alice, his mate, when they had first moved here— or anywhere else for that matter. Alice grabbed his hand, partly to keep him relaxed (and his thirst at bay) and partly to lead him to the cafeteria to meet up with the rest of the Cullen clan.

Rosalie and Emmett were up ahead, walking with a confident swagger and Alice smiled, realizing how they must look to others; cocky, arrogant and aloof. As they walked, Jasper mumbled something about how disgusting human food was. Alice nodded in agreement, absentmindedly glancing into the cafeteria as she tried to recall just how human food tasted to normal humans. It was a pointless endeavor; she remembered nothing. As they walked, Jasper's hand in her's, Alice met the eyes of a girl who stared back at her curiously through the cafeteria window, although with obvious shyness. Alice looked away with a sly smile; this had to be the new girl, Isabella. Alice could hear Jessica Stanley introducing the Cullens to her.

"And the small one, with the short, black hair— that's Alice. She's _really_ weird."

Hearing Jessica's description of her, Alice smiled flirtatiously at Jasper, who twirled her as they passed the table where Jessica and Isabella sat, as if to demonstrate her weirdness. After, she pulled Jasper's hand, leading him to the Cullen's table. Alice nudged her mate playfully when Jessica described him as the one 'who always looks like he's in pain', to which Jasper rolled his eyes. The pair sat down next to Rosalie and Emmett, who were also listening in amusement to Jessica's descriptions.

"Seems like you're not on Ms. Stanley's good side, Edward. I'm not sure if I approve of your heartbreaking ways; we're getting bad press." Alice said, smiling teasingly at her brooding 'brother' as he sat down.

Edward scoffed, pushing his food around on his plate. "If listening to those fantasies she has of me would put me on her good side, forget it, Alice."

"You could have given her a chance… You were obviously very much on her mind." Alice persisted, smirking at her messy haired brother who glared at her in annoyance.

"Alice..." He muttered in warning.

She shrugged dismissively and nodded towards Mike Newton, who was chasing around a fellow class mate. "But it appears Ms. Stanley's already transferred her affections to another," she sighed dramatically, "Alas, there goes another chance for our brother to find true love…"

Edward rolled his eyes while Emmett snickered, giving Alice an approving nod. "Alice is right, Edward. You and Jessica would have been such a cute couple. And I'm sure that little peak into her thoughts showed you just how much pleasure she could have given you." Alice laughed along with Emmett while Jasper and Rosalie shared exasperated expressions.

Edward, however, said nothing; his attention was clearly elsewhere; his eyes narrowed and a perplexed expression, along with one of frustration, flashed suddenly across his otherwise expressionless face.

"What's wrong, Edward?" Jasper inquired softly, sensing the other vampire's emotions. Rosalie and Emmett appeared interested as well, only now noticing their brother's mood. Alice frowned before following his gaze to Isabella Swan.

"Swan; I can't read her." Edward said, his velvety voice laced with frustration. Alice and Jasper shared a look.

"Do you think she's a supernatural being?" Rosalie asked quickly with such speed that it was impossible for anyone other than another vampire to understand. She appeared doubtful of such a possibility as she stared at Isabella, who noticed their gazes and blushed a light pink.

"No, she's human, I'm sure." Edward answered in a whisper.

There was silence before Alice grinned, glancing between Isabella and Edward. "Well, this is certainly an interesting development."

**~1~**

Isabella Swan was tired. The day had barely begun and she was already yearning for it to end. Mike Newton had asked to escort her to her Biology class, and as uncomfortable as Bella felt by his flirting, she had agreed halfheartedly. She could only hope that his infatuation would wear off soon; she could see that he was a genuinely nice guy and the thought of rejecting him and potentially hurting his feelings made her squirm.

Finally they reached the class room and Mike brought her to the teacher's attention. The teacher casually introduced himself and nodded her towards the tables, instructing her to find a seat. With a quick wave to Mike, who grinned back and gave her an encouraging thumbs up, she walked towards the only empty seat in the room, next to Edward Cullen. As Bella came closer, Edward covered his nose and mouth with his hand, and leaned towards the opposite wall— away from her.

Frowning slightly, Bella took the empty seat beside him. She had to admit, Edward Cullen was an incredibly handsome male specimen. Edward was dressed in all black, a black band shirt, black jeans and black leather dress shoes, which gave him a mature air. His body was slim and there was fluidity in his motions. His hair was a unique dark bronze hue and tousled; a contrast to his pale, white face. His cheekbones were high, he had a strong jaw line and his face was clear of stubble and acne. His eyes were a dark brown, bordering on black, color. His hand, which was currently covering his lips and nose was long, pale and slim; the hands of a musician.

"Hi." Bella said shyly after a moment. Class had yet to begin and she felt awkward sitting there in silence while her other classmates chattered away. Edward's eyes darted to Bella in something akin to frustration and her eyebrows furrowed, confused by his strange behavior.

"Are you ok?" Bella asked, worried that he may vomit as she took in his extremely pale complexion and tense body posture; he looked as though he would bolt out of the room at any second. "Do you need to go see the nurse or something?"

Edward said nothing but stood up and darted out of the room, leaving his notebook behind in his haste.

The teacher called after him but Bella spoke up and explained that he was probably sick, referencing his odd behavior. The teacher nodded and the lecture began. She wasn't surprised when Edward didn't return; no doubt he had gone home. After class ended, Bella eyed the black notebook he had left behind, before reluctantly scooping it up.

**~1~**

When school ended, Bella walked towards the parking lot, grateful that the day was finally over. Up ahead, she spotted two of the Cullens, Alice and Jasper, if she remembered correctly. Bella had hoped that she would have one of the Cullens in another one of her classes so she could give them Edward's notebook, but that had not come to pass. She hesitated slightly, before running into a sprint to catch up with the pair.

"Hey!" She called out as she came closer. They turned around, and Bella barely had time to read the surprise on their feature before, just as she reached them, she tripped. Luckily for her, Alice caught her arm mid-fall. Bella's eyes widened at the icy cold grip of the other girl's dainty hand. The books she had been carrying fell, scattering on the floor. Alice let go immediately after Bella regained her balance.

"Uh, thanks." Bella mumbled as she bent down to pick up her school books, her face covered in a deep red blush. To her surprise, Jasper looked away, taking a step away from her as though she was a leper. Alice, however, smiled pleasantly, handing Bella a book which had escaped her notice.

"You're welcome. Is something the matter? You seemed to be in quite a rush to catch us."

Bella blinked at the petite girl before her, still shocked by the coldness of Alice's hand and the strength she had displayed. "Um…" Bella couldn't quite remember why she had come up to… "Oh!" She said, before pulling out a notebook from her backpack. "Here, this is Edward's." Bella explained, as she handed Alice a black notebook. "He left it in biology."

"Thank you, he'll appreciate having it back." Alice said chirpily, smiling at Bella. There was a pause and the two examined one another.

Isabella, Alice had to admit, was exceptionally pretty. She had shoulder length, wavy chestnut brown hair which framed her pale, heart shaped face rather nicely. Her eyes were chocolate brown and deer like; as though she was overwhelmed by the attention she was receiving. Her features were pretty and she was surrounded by an aura of innocence and sincerity that Alice thought was extremley refreshing. It was such a rare sight and Alice found she already liked the girl, despite her disastrous fashion sense. Bella was wearing casual faded dark blue jeans, a black band tee-shirt and a dark brown windbreaker, obviously to shield her body from the cold but it was still rather drab— Jasper cleared his throat from behind Alice, looking uncomfortable.

"Oh, pardon my manners; I don't believe we've formally met one another!" Alice exclaimed, pushing away thoughts of fashion, "Introductions are in order. This is Jasper," she said, placing a dainty hand on the tall, blond haired guy's arm, "and I'm Alice."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Bella." Bella said awkwardly, noticing how Jasper avoided her gaze. She shifted the weight of her school books to her other arm, feeling uncomfortable by Jasper's tense body posture. Had she offended him somehow?

Alice frowned slightly although her demeanor remained friendly. "_Bella?_ I was under the impression you were Isabella…"

"I prefer Bella." Bella said, chocolate eyes focusing on Alice once more. _'Although,'_ she thought, _'Isabella doesn't sound half bad coming from Alice…'_

"Alice, we should go, they'll be waiting." Jasper said stiffly, his eyes glued to Alice who smiled reassuringly at him. Bella's watched the quick exchange carefully, wondering why Jasper was acting so strangely.

"Sure, Jazz, let's go." Alice replied before turning to Bella. "It was interesting meeting you, Bella. Thanks for the notebook, catch you later." She spun around gracefully and the pair walked away, talking amongst themselves. Bella heard a tinkling laugh, which she assumed came from Alice. Bella could only stare at the petite girl, who moved as easily as a well-trained dancer.

'_Wow, she's... beautiful.'_

Bella shook her head, and began walking towards the direction of her truck. What was up with the Cullens? They were almost too gorgeous to be real. Even Jasper, despite his weird, pain filled expression (which had seemed to become more pronounced when she had come up to them). There was just something about them that was magnetic… Sighing, she pushed those thoughts aside and opened the door of her faded red truck; Charlie would be waiting for her no doubt anxious to know how her first day had gone.

~1~

"Where's Edward?" Jasper asked Emmett as they approached their car.

"He left a note." Emmett said, holding up a piece of paper before unlocking the car and positioning himself in the driver's side. Jasper and Alice followed his lead; Rosalie was already seated in the driver's seat, waiting for them impatiently.

Jasper opened the door for Alice, and she smiled, getting on her tippy toes to press a chaste kiss on his lips before getting in the car. Jasper followed and seconds later, the Cullen's silver Mercedes pulled out of their parking space and exited the school parking lot smoothly.

"What does the note say?" Jasper asked Emmett, one arm around Alice. It was Rosalie who spoke.

"He couldn't control his thirst for Swan, apparently. He said he's gone to see Carlisle and then he's going to spend some time with the Denali coven." She said, handing Jasper the note.

"Well, I can see why Edward left. Her blood is rather tempting. _Mouthwateringly_ tempting…" Alice murmured distractedly.

"Vision, Alice?" Rosalie inquired, examining her sister's face.

Alice nodded. "Yes… I think we're going to get along with Bella Swan rather well." Alice said, somewhat mysteriously. Emmett peeked back at her and then at Rosalie, whose eyes were narrowed.

"She's human." Rosalie stated, her face becoming hard and tense. She wasn't looking at Alice anymore but staring ahead.

"Yes, she is," Alice agreed gently, "But it'll be ok, Rose..."

"What did you see?" Emmett asked.

"I saw her sitting with us in the cafeteria. I sense that she'll be a good friend of ours. Edward's choice has made that highly likely." She shivered, causing Jasper to pull her closer to him, as she recalled the other vision she had had; one where had Edward leaned over Bella's body, his lips ruby red and eyes demon like. Luckily, that future was becoming increasingly improbably due to Edward's choice to leave.

"Her blood is almost irresistible!" Jasper exclaimed in protest. "I could barely stop myself from attacking her then and there… that deep, red blush…" He shuddered, closing his eyes, which had darkened.

"You were fine, Jasper." She said with pride, stroking his hand lovingly. "You'll get used to it; I trust you."

"It's not about _trust_, Alice." Rosalie snarled. "She's human. Edward had to leave because she was that tempting. You know how well he can control himself!"

Emmett rolled his eyes as he pressed harder on the gas pedal, increasing the speed so that they were travelling a little less than 100 miles per hour. "Come on now, Rose. Edward does have a tendency to be a tad dramatic. It couldn't have been that bad. Alice stayed in control and she hasn't been hunting in two weeks."

Rosalie's hands were balled into fists and her posture was tense. "She cannot discover our… _affliction_." Rosalie said forcefully. "Letting that happen would put all of us in danger. We should not be associating with her, Alice!"

Emmett studied Rosalie in concern but said nothing. A suffocating silence filled the car.

"I think—," Alice began quietly, before pausing, "I think we should all go hunting. So she won't be that tempting. Just in case."

**~1~**

**Wooo! First Chapter. What do you think? Were any of the characters too OOC? I'm not a rabid twilight fan, so if they seem off, I'm sorry! Just review and let me know how I can improve or just to tell me whether or not you like this story! Thanks, people =)**


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